Fostering Mental Health Resilience in First Responders: An Introduction to SC FAST 101
Patti Graham and SCFAST
Saturday, June 14, 2025
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
The South Carolina First Responder Assistance and Support Team (SC FAST) is a state-wide peer support team driven by its mission to provide first responders and their families with information and training that enables and empowers them to meet the challenges of their everyday lives and during their emergency responses. SC FAST touches all emergency services disciplines, including first responders, emergency medical services, public safety, and 911 telecommunicators, and incorporates the entire family unit into its trainings.
Fostering Mental Health Resilience for First Responders: An Introduction to SC FAST 101 is your introduction into the history, structure, and functions of the team. The course also touches on the cornerstones of SC FAST trainings: finding balance and building resiliency. Participants will learn about suicide awareness to develop an understanding of risk factors, preventative factors, and tools for surviving the trauma first responders’ witness. First responders and family members of first responders will take away from this course a solid foundation for fostering mental health resilience.
Patti Graham
Born into a family of service, Patti grew up around first responders and other community servants. Following her father’s line of duty death in 2008, she started as a chaplain in 2009, finished her firefighter training in 2010, all while working to develop a program to “Serve Servants” to focus on mental wellness.
She quickly became connected with other likeminded first responder and is one of the co-creators of the South Carolina First Responder Assistance and Support Team (SC FAST) formed in 2011. Patti became the team leader in 2013.
After 20 years of marriage to Ed Johns, Patti became widow. Being given another opportunity to love and be loved, Patti married Steve Graham in 2016 and they live in Spartanburg, SC.
Steve and Patti have a personal perspective of firefighter suicide after losing their son, Matt, to suicide in 2020. This has served to solidify Patti’s determination to do everything possible to not only educate first responders and their families but to facilitate the connections needed to heal trauma, whether it stems from childhood, work, or life in general.
Patti and Steve have 10 grandchildren and cherish every moment they get with each of them.
